Atlanta needs rail, not more cars on jam-packed streets
In his opinion column against trains on the Beltline — “Future of Atlanta Beltline hangs in the balance. Trains are not the answer.” — Alex Taylor writes that putting an autonomous electric vehicle network on the streets of Atlanta would better respond to the need for mobility and environmental stewardship.
More cars on our already jam-packed streets is the least environmentally friendly option I can think of. And he calls trains 19th-century technology! Cities around the world are moving passengers faster and in far greater numbers with 21st-century high-speed electric rail, light rail and clean-energy buses.
The Beltline is not easily accessible to most Atlantans. It doesn’t go downtown or to most parts of the city. Why not consider how we could employ 21st-century technology to facilitate access to the Beltline and, when appropriate, along it?
Mr. Taylor’s vision of EVs providing an environmental solution to Atlanta’s transit needs strikes me as elitist, unworkable and unsustainable.
AMALIA B. STEPHENS, ATLANTA
Let’s create public transit people will use
About “Atlanta Beltline rail is not a threat. Failing to build it is,” — the rebuttal to Alex Taylor’s column — what a strong response, and I support it 100%.
I used public transit regularly in the Boston and San Francisco metro areas as an adult and grew up taking trains and buses into Manhattan. I’ve traveled throughout Europe by train, streetcar and bus because it’s easy. But I’ve rarely taken MARTA and never taken a bus because they never go where I want to go on a timely basis.
It’s time to take all those tax dollars we voted for and thought would improve public transit and actually create a system people would use because it’s easy. No getting stuck in traffic, no paying for parking, and time to catch up on all your scrolling.
BARBARA OGDEN, ATLANTA
Kemp’s veto opposes public’s desire to protect nature
I recently read the AJC article about Gov. Brian Kemp vetoing increased funding for Georgia wildland protections (“Conservationists slam Kemp veto of bill to boost Georgia wildland protection,” May 19) and I can’t help but find it bizarre. This article mentioned that the bill passed nearly unanimously, with bipartisan support, and that voters authorized this fund with overwhelming support.
It’s clear that, in vetoing this bill, the governor is going against both our state legislators and the public’s desire to protect nature in Georgia.
As an Eagle Scout, I know that Georgia has some of the best parks in the country, but they are chronically underfunded. Georgia parks need this investment to preserve our natural spaces for future generations.
That a bipartisan solution to this problem would be dashed by the governor is deeply disheartening, and Georgians should write letters to the governor telling him we want more funding for the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
ALBERT JASON ROTHER, DACULA
America has long history of marginalizing minorities
The 13th and 14th constitutional amendments, together with later civil rights decisions and laws, were enacted and implemented to correct a fundamental illness in our society dating back to the American Revolution: Marginalizing and disenfranchising both voluntary and involuntary non-white and other minority people in our society.
To eliminate this chronic disease, the cure has been focused, often painful, risky, uncertain, but necessary. Judicially taking that cure away because it may “discriminate” against the white majority simply encourages re-emergence of the societal imbalance which the Constitution, decisions and laws seek to erase.
DONALD WEISSMAN, EVANS
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